Title: Colette's Search (Chapter 1)
Author: WistfulGuy
Fandom: Pan Am
Rating: PG
Cast: Colette Valois
Disclaimer: I do not own Pan Am the company or the TV series. I am not associated with ABC TV in any way. I am just a huge fan of the show and like to write. Also, please don't sue me…I don't do well in jail and I have no money. Void where prohibited.
***Note: while Colette Valois is fluent in French, I am not. I have chosen to display all her dialogue in English, rather than use an English-French translation utility and risk making her sound like a 3rd grader speaking in broken French. I think you fans can appreciate that ***
Colette was already waking when her alarm clock rang at 5am. Sitting up in bed, she stretched and looked towards her window. The sun was creeping through, illuminating her bedroom. She brushed the hair from her eyes and sighed. She dwelled in the excitement of the moment as she climbed out of bed and went to prepare her breakfast. For the first time in a long while, she felt a strong sense of direction and hope in her life. Her courtship with Omar, while itself not meant to be, yielded her the greatest promise other than meeting her parents: her brother. A piece of her family, a piece of her that was yet to be discovered.
Before she could head overseas to start on a search, however, she had to say goodbye to Omar. He was a prince in every sense of the word to her. The idea of being whisked around the world in a romance with a prince was tempting to a point. Admittedly, the sudden prospect of moving to another country, being a guest for six months in a palace and losing a large part of the identity she had made for herself was certainly frightening. Omar's kindness and giving nature made it easier for her to consider. In the end, the fact remained that Colette was of Jewish ancestry, and that made any courtship or marriage to an Arab Royal simply impossible.
Omar was to be in town attending a UN event and he contacted Colette asking her to meet with him. She figured he wanted to give her a proper goodbye and wish her well. She felt she owed him that, for him being so kind to her and also for revealing her brother's existence. He arranged to have lunch with her at Tavern on the Green. She had already taken the day off and was planning to start contacting the orphanage in France where she was placed.
Thanks to the diligent work of Omar's staff, Colette not only had the name and phone number of the orphanage, but a contact person as well. She dialed the number; the line rang several times before a voice answered, "St. Mary Orphanage, how may I help you?"
"Hello, may I speak with Sister Durand?"
"Speaking!"
"Hello, Sister. My name is Colette Valois. I was one of your orphans as a child. I've recently learned that I also have a brother, and you may have information on his whereabouts. Can you help me?"
"Oh yes, Valois! I was just speaking with someone else about you, not long ago. In fact I do believe I have your file nearby. Yes...here it is!"
Colette listened to the nun rifling through papers on the phone. Her pulse quickened. She couldn't believe how close she was to finding her brother.
Sister Durand continued, "Ok, Ms. Valois. As you may have been told, your parents were Jewish and for your own protection, you and your brother were given French names to protect yourselves from the Nazis. You were both given the surname of Valois. Your brother's name is Georges."
Colette gasped. She knew his name now. He wasn't just a photo of a nameless infant anymore. He was becoming more real moment by moment. Tears of happiness formed and streamed down her face as she envisioned meeting her brother for the very first time.
"Are you still there, Ms. Valois?"
Catching herself, Colette quickly replied, "Yes, yes I am. Do you have any information on where Georges might be now?"
"Sadly, we don't have all of that information. I can tell you a large group of orphans from your day ended up in Paris at a boarding school. I can give you the contact information of that school; perhaps they can give you more details."
"That would be wonderful, please give me the number. Thank you so much, Sister!" Colette beamed. She wrote down the contact information on the boarding school.
Colette smiled, thinking how easy the first step was. She now knew her brother was Georges Valois and she was one step closer to finding him at last. She began to ready herself to meet with Omar for a poignant farewell.